Dry etching apparatus

Abstract

A dry etching apparatus includes a process chamber, a stage, a gas supply device and a plasma generating device. The stage is in the process chamber and is configured to support a wafer, wherein the wafer has a center region and a periphery region surrounding the center region. The gas supply device is configured to supply a first flow of an etching gas to the center region and supply a second flow of the etching gas to the periphery region. The plasma generating device is configured to generate plasma from the etching gas.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An etching apparatus comprising:
 a process chamber; 
 a stage in the process chamber and configured to support a wafer, wherein the wafer has a center region and a periphery region surrounding the center region; 
 a gas supply device configured to supply a first flow of an etching gas to the center region and simultaneously supply a second flow of the etching gas to the periphery region to etch a gate stack; 
 a control device configured to control a flow rate of the first flow and a flow rate of the second flow, wherein the flow rate of the first flow is such that the etched gate stack at the center region has a bottom portion, and the bottom portion of the etched gate stack at the center region has a concave sidewall, and the flow rate of the second flow rate is such that the etched gate stack at the periphery region has a bottom portion, and the bottom portion of the etched gate stack at the periphery region has a concave sidewall; and 
 a plasma generating device configured to generate plasma from the etching gas. 
 
     
     
       2. The etching apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an antenna on a sidewall of the process chamber. 
     
     
       3. The etching apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the plasma generating device is connected to the antenna. 
     
     
       4. The etching apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an exhaust unit configured to expel the etching gas from the process chamber. 
     
     
       5. The etching apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a power supply connected to the stage. 
     
     
       6. The etching apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the power supply is a radio frequency bias power supply. 
     
     
       7. An etching apparatus comprising:
 a process chamber; 
 a stage in the process chamber and configured to support a wafer, wherein the wafer has a first region and a second region; 
 a gas supply device configured to supply a first flow of an etching gas to the first region and simultaneously supply a second flow of the etching gas to the second region; 
 a control device configured to control the gas supply device, such that a ratio of a flow rate of the first flow to a flow rate of the second flow is in a range from about 0.33 to about 3; and 
 a plasma generating device configured to generate plasma from the etching gas. 
 
     
     
       8. The etching apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising an antenna on a sidewall of the process chamber. 
     
     
       9. The etching apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the plasma generating device is connected to the antenna. 
     
     
       10. The etching apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising an exhaust unit in communication with the process chamber. 
     
     
       11. The etching apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a radio frequency bias power supply connected to the stage. 
     
     
       12. An etching apparatus comprising:
 a process chamber; 
 a stage in the process chamber and configured to support a wafer, wherein the wafer has a center region and a periphery region surrounding the center region; 
 a gas supply device configured to supply a first flow of an etching gas to the center region and simultaneously supply a second flow of the etching gas to the periphery region to etch a gate stack; and 
 a control device configured to control a flow rate of the second flow, such that the etched gate stack at the periphery region has a bottom portion, the bottom portion has a concave sidewall, and a narrowest portion of the bottom portion of the etched gate stack at the periphery region is lower than a narrowest portion of a bottom portion of the etched gate stack at the center region. 
 
     
     
       13. The etching apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising an antenna on a sidewall of the process chamber. 
     
     
       14. The etching apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising a power source connected to the antenna. 
     
     
       15. The etching apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising an exhaust unit in communication with the process chamber. 
     
     
       16. The etching apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising a power supply connected to the stage. 
     
     
       17. The etching apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the power supply is a radio frequency bias power supply. 
     
     
       18. The etching apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control device is configured to control the gas supply device, such that a ratio of the flow rate of the first flow to a flow rate of the second flow is in a range from about 1 to about 1.1. 
     
     
       19. The etching apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom portion has a narrowest portion at a height such that the narrowest portion of the bottom portion of the etched gate stack at the center region is aligned with an angle of an epitaxial structure after the epitaxial structure is formed. 
     
     
       20. The etching apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom portion has a narrowest portion at a height such that a proximity distance between the etched gate stack at the center region and an epitaxial structure is in a range from about 0.5 nm to about 10 nm after the epitaxial structure is formed.